8th Annual Lung Cancer Walk Team Captain Guide Sunday, September 29, 2013 Bergen Community College Paramus, NJ
We welcome you and your team to CancerCare s Annual Walk/Run for Hope! People raise more money together than they do on their own. By registering as a team, you have taken the first step in raising money for CancerCare s free, professional support services. This guide will help you with creative team recruitment and fundraising ideas. You will find easy and challenging fundraising tips, ways to motivate your team members to raise more money, and a helpful team building check-list. Good luck with your fundraising. We look forward to seeing you on September 29th! Special notes about fundraising as a team All team members must register separately. Each member is responsible for the registration fee. Donations can be credited to either a team member or to the entire team. Please make sure your team members remind donors to clearly identify which team member or team should be credited for their donation. Remember: People raise more money together than they do alone! Get Started! Potential Team Members and Donors Select a team name Register online at www.cancercare.org/paramus. Set up your team s personal page. Upload a photo of who you are walking/running in honor or memory of or of your team. Write a personal story about why your team is walking/ running. Send emails to your friends, family and co-workers. Ask them to join your team or start one of their own. If they can t join, ask them to donate to your team. Attorney Alumni associations Church members Classmates Clients College classmates/alumni Co-workers CPA Daycare center Dentist Doctor Employer Family Financial adviser Friends Hair stylist Holiday card list Landscaper Manicurist Neighbors Parents friends Professional associations Psychologist Relatives Roommates School club members Sorority/Fraternity Spouses business associates
Team Building and Fundraising Check-list Team Member Recruitment I have registered my team at www.cancercare.org/paramus. I have handed out event brochures to encourage member recruitment. I have sent recruitment emails/letters to my friends, colleagues and family to invite them to join my team. I have reached out to thank each new recruited member for joining my team and encouraged them to invite more members to join as well. I have publicized my team s participation in the Walk/Run for Hope by posting info cards and posters in the places I frequent, such as my office, church and school. * Visit Fundraising Resources for letter templates and fundraising ideas. Team Fundraising I have scheduled team meetings to meet and discuss our fundraising strategy. I have sent out sponsor me emails/letter to my contacts asking for support and I have encouraged my team members to do the same. I have made a list of possible team fundraisers and scheduled one or more already. My team members have checked to see if their companies have matching gift programs. I have reached out to my donors and thanked them for their support and also encouraged my team members to do the same. I sent reminder emails to those contacts that have not sponsored me yet. Team Motivation I created friendly competitions between my team members offering special awards for team members that reach certain fundraising goals. I have shared the importance of raising money for Walk/Run for Hope by informing my team members of what the money will benefit. I send weekly or biweekly updates to my team members with fundraising updates and to share new ideas. I have created team t-shirts or other team items to wear at the event. Build Your Team Let everyone you know you are starting a team and why. Create a Facebook page for your team or add gadgets to your email signature. Invite your friends, roommates, classmates, family and coworkers to attend a gathering at your home, happy hour, or a local hang-out. This gives you a chance to share your walk/run experiences. Give out prizes to the first 10 people who sign up to Walk/Run. Hang walk/run posters in your residents hall or workplace with your team name and your contact information on the poster. Challenge each team member to recruit one other member. Give a prize the team member who recruits the most individuals to join the team. Distribute event brochures. You can request these from Deborah Walsh at 212-712-6165 or e-mail dwalsh@cancercare.org. Motivate Your Team Hold a drawing for team members who reach certain fundraising levels. When a team member raises $250, $500, and $1,000, they can be entered into a drawing for a fabulous prize. Ask your workplace or college to donate the drawing prize such as a college sweatshirt or a few extra vacation hours. Send motivational emails to all team members when someone reaches a certain fundraising goal. Hold a team party and create team t-shirts or a team sign.
Simple Team Fundraising Ideas Loose Change: Start a home or workplace piggy bank. At the end of the day, ask everyone to empty their pockets. You will be surprised at how quickly the coins add up. Write It: Start a letter or email writing campaign to your friends, family, coworkers and contacts in your address book. Include a personal story or a special memory of a loved one in your email or letter that you send. * A Walk/Run for Hope Team Highlight: Employees at Eisai held a jeans day in their office. The fundraiser was a success. All the money raised went to Team Eisai. Matching Gifts: Remind your donors and team members about company matching gifts. This is an easy way to double your team s funds. Book Sale: Clean off your bookshelves and hold a book sale in your workplace or residence hall. Spread the Word: Ask your employer if you can include your team s business card with the weekly paychecks. Hopefully employees will use their week s earnings to give a donation to your team. Challenging Team Fundraising Ideas Dress Down Days: Ask your company to conduct a Dress Down Day for employees. Designate a day, a series of days or a week where employees can give a donation to dress down. Host a Party: Throw a great party and charge admission! Ask local businesses to donate prizes (restaurant gift certificates, TVs, weekend getaways, play tickets) to be raffled off at the party. A Walk/Run for Hope Team Highlight: For the past few years, Team Egghead has participated in Walk/ Run for Hope, their team has raised over $12,000 including corporate matching gifts. Company Sponsorship: Ask your company to sponsor the team t- shirts, pay for the team s registration fees or donate a certain amount of money to the team or to the first 10 employees who register. Many companies like to support the causes that mean the most to their employees. Share your Story with the Community: Submit information about your team s participation to your company s employee newsletter, intranet site, or local or college paper. Provide information on how people can join your team, create their own team or make a donation. *Also available at www.cancercare.org/paramus under Fundraising Resources
Wrap Up Here are some important items you need to remember as Team Captain: All team members must pay the registration fee: Adults (ages 13 and up) Before September 23 $35 registration fee After September 23 $40 registration fee USATF-NJ Member Discount $32 registration fee Children 12 years old and younger $10 registration fee Register your team online and create a team webpage. Each team member will be credited with the dollar amount they raise individually. The dollar amount will also be applied to the team s total. You can submit either individual donations or team donations. Keep your fundraising efforts fun and motivational. Schedule team fundraising events or create team t-shirts. For any additional questions about the Walk/Run, call 212-712-6165 or visit www.cancercare.org/paramus.